So already the cuts have begun to bite. 100 classrooms on hold, with rising immigration actively worsening things.
Reports by the Education Minister that she is consulting is interesting. Who with ?you may ask, as Principals say they do not know what the new priorities are, and they have had no formal or face to face contact. Just a list of "On hold" since the election.
Everyone knows from media statements 3 hours for 3 rs,
7.5 cuts to budgets, which plus inflation is really huge. (This is capital expenditure which is not included!!) So children miss out again.
It makes sense when you remember the National Party was formed to stop the Labour Party doing anything. They consider 'on hold' to be fulfilling that promise.
Mayor Wayne Brown on RNZ this morning recognised how many projects will just be stopped. Even something as big as Eastern Busway, or the new CRL trains. That was one small tax adjustment.
Brown is forecasting the point for all other mayors: local government should be able to set the priorities for the locals who vote for them. Not Wellington.
March has more pre-announcements going through every other Department: Health, Education, Welfare, Transport, Kainga Ora, Conservation, SSC, DPMC, Crown Law, DIA, MBIE, MfE, MoT, Maori Affairs, and all the minor quangoes like HRC. Queue groaning.
Which state entities can defend their forecasts? I'm betting the ones that come out well: Corrections, Police, NZDF, SIS, Treasury.
March leads to May Budget.
With those cuts Willis gets to deliver tax cuts. As she and Luxon promised.
Tova O'Brien makes the point I made yesterday 🙂 that Seymour is undermining Luxon by calling him nervous and a liar. I can't remember this happening before.
Thanks, Hooten is rightly terrified of Seymour having the time and space to spend the huge amounts of shadowy far right wing funding on manipulating public opinion.
Basically its Hooton being his usual Machiavellian self by attacking Seymour's Treaty Bill while making what seem reasonable suggestions. However on closer scrutiny they are anything but. This gem of an article is about Paul Goldsmith apologising and settling outstanding Ngati Hine grievances by putting a wedge between them and Ngapuhi. Just the sort of Maori vs Maori turmoil he would enjoy setting up.
My view is if National really want to shut Seymour up they need to back Goldsmith in Epson. As we all know Seymour is only where he is due to the National Party's gerrymandering.
I don't think that there is any evidence of this going on here, and no evidence of the Representation Commission (the organization which sets the electorate boundaries) being influenced by any political party.
If you do have evidence of this occurring, then please share it.
If you mean that Seymour is using MMP to increase ACT representation in parliament – by gaining a higher individual vote in Epsom than the ACT party vote – and that this is reprehensible; then you would have to condemn virtually every TPM MP for doing the same thing – I think in every Maori electorate the party vote was higher for Labour than it was for TPM.
No, the equivalent would be Labour and TPM entering an agreement where Labour deliberately throws Maori seats by encouraging voters to vote for TPM candidate.
Perhaps you have evidence of this happening in the last election?
Difference being there's collusion between National and ACT in Epsom, but none in the Maori electorates between Labour and TPM which is what you implied with the comparison.
Like I said, a good way to dilute the mischievousness in Epsom is to claim both sides do it, even if that is untrue.
How about the 'collusion' in Invercargill between the Greens and Labour?
In 2020 the GP candidate openly endorsed the Labour one, and in 2023 – they pulled the GP candidate completely to try and gain the seat for the Left
And I'm quite sure that the same could be said by the Right – over (for example) Jim Anderton.
ATM – and for the last couple of elections – ACT have not needed the 'Epsom accommodation' – since their party vote is perfectly sufficient to get them over the 5% threshold.
You get Te Pāti Māori are the smartest voters in the country, we be doing polling, we understand overhang. You and others talked about it enough. Oh and Maori know what a deal means, honour, and playing the hand that has been dealt. Te Pāti Māori don't need to beg like some serf.
We don't need dirty deals, we have an open honest one. Old too, 11 years till hundred years in parlimentary terms with the election of Eruera and Tokouru.
To many Pākehā and Māori voted whinge bag Winny. Rather than a party who would work with the left. Gotta love hindsight though. I'm hearing some seriously extreme buyers remorse on this one, in my own family, even.
Oh dear. I think some will be more circumspect in the future.
I was referring to the fact that TPM won each of the Māori Seats and that Labour got the highest Party vote in each electorate, thereby helping the Labour Māori Caucus.
So tactical voting by Left voters for TPM and Green electorate candidates is fine; but tactical voting by the Right for ACT candidates is morally wrong?
Tactical voting is the way MMP works. You can't, honestly, decry it on the right, but celebrate it on the left.
No deal was made by Te Pāti Māori for seats. Unlike act and the prime member of the collective of corporate cock suckers. (CCCS)
The moral question you raise is interesting – should parties gift other parties seats like the prime CCCS has done to act (a minor member of CCCS)?
Nothing wrong with smart voting, just seat fixing is the moral questionable. Indeed it is a cheapening of democracy, but the right have no problem with that concept, and throw out all sorts of useful idiots to spread it's BS around it.
Previously yes, but he's actually a very active and effective elecorate mp so I doubt a Nat candidate would get near him even with say Luxon's endorsement.
Also Brooke Van Velden took the Tamaki electorate, in the teeth of fierce National opposition – no cup of tea there. ACT (little though you may like them) are currently pulling a substantial percentage of the vote in NZ.
Has Seymour ever expressed a liking for playing chess?
He has a series of moves available to him that threaten Luxon with, or hold him in check.
He can crash Luxon's Government at any point and can block National from getting back in should they seek to regain their position.
While his One Big Mission would go on hold, much of the groundwork has already been done; other branches of the Movement can continue with manipulating the public mind over the role of Māori and the hold they have on resources.
He's backing himself and playing hardball (as well as chess) imo.
At one point I had assumed Seymour would not allow himself too be seen as a trouble maker in government, rather wanting to be a serious, dependable player.
But now I don't think he cares, his ideological mission to dilute and disperse Te ao Māori too important to him and his backers, to the point of obsession.
Hooton makes some good points in his article today (paywalled) here:
"Seymour’s bill and “information” campaign will cause ill-informed division and unnecessary angst, before being voted down 112-11 by Parliament. It will then be for Goldsmith, in both his major portfolios, to bring common sense and integrity to heal those wounds. As Justice Minister, he could pick up Prebble’s idea and strengthen everyone’s equal rights of citizenship without undermining anyone’s differing exclusive rights, including to property and other treasures. As Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, it turns to Goldsmith to succeed …. in settling the historic claims of the northern tribes of Ngāpuhi. Historic settlements don’t extinguish the Crown’s contemporary Treaty obligations but they help iwi put their fury behind them and focus on the economic and social development of their people, in partnership with or independently of the state. Nothing would do more to restore a harmonious relationship between the Crown and northern iwi, while boosting Northland’s struggling economy."
It is interesting that Hooton has little time for Seymour.
Act’s Mr Seymour tries to distance himself from Atlas Network. Check out page 7 of the 2008 Atlas Review, Mr Seymour is pictured with some then Atlas leading lights and prospects during his Canadian stint.
This should be spread far and wide. The association is provable not conspiracy. Act are attacking Te Tiriti not just for “Māori bashing” purposes, but to assist international capital to exploit NZ resources.
Even Gosman, [deleted] saw the problems of being associated with Atlas. Tried very hard to claim there is no such connection.
[I’ve never heard that about Gosman before and I have no way of checking. Please don’t try and break pseudonyms. I protect them on principle, that includes RW trolls, and you. – weka]
Kwadwo Afari (Citizens Network for Democracy and Economic Development, Ghana)
Khalil Ahmad (Alternate Solutions Institute, Pakistan) Judith Auma (Inter Region Economic Network, Uganda) Matt Bufton (Institute for Liberal Studies, Canada) Brad Bergh (Caesar Rodney Institute, U.S.A.) Rosamaria Bitetti (Istituto Bruno Leoni, Italy)
Amit Chandra (Centre for Civil Society, India)
Alphonse Crespo (Medicine & Liberty, Switzerland)
D. Dhanuraj (Centre for Public Policy Research, India)
Rand Getlin (Prometheus Institute, U.S.A.)
Matt Harrison (Prometheus Institute, U.S.A.)
Tabriz Jabbarov (Free Minds Association, Azerbaijan)
Biljana Janeva (OHRID Institute, Macedonia)
Thomas David Maqway (Center for Prosperity and Economic
Liberty, Tanzania)
Arpita Nepal Samriddhi (The Prosperity Foundation, Nepal) Mpumelelo (Lelo) Nxumalo (Committee for the Economic
Development of Zimbabwe)
Javier Paz (Fundación Nueva Democracia, Bolivia)
Omar Shaban Ismail (PalThink for Strategic Studies, Palestine) Jim Shaffer (Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia, U.S.A.) Fernando Staffieri (Fundación Libertad, Argentina) David Seymour(Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada) Corin Taylor (TaxPayers Alliance, U.K.)
Sugey Tola (Ecuadorian Institute of Political Economy, Ecuador) Marcin Wegierski (Project Lodz Foundation, Poland) Randolph Williams (Centre for Policy Initiatives, Guyana) Batbold Zagdragchaa (New Policy Institute, Mongolia)”
Be careful here. There maybe more than one David Seymour in this world with ties to Atlas Think Tanks.
I know that there are at least 3 academics with the same name as myself who write on very similar subjects. I constantly receive notifications from around the world thinking that I was the person who wrote or commented on a particular paper.
It certainly seems to be the same – ie "our"! -David Seymour as the reference in the Atlas Year in Review 2008 linked to in Tiger Mountain's comment at 3 to "David Seymour (Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada)" aligns with the Wikipedia entry for "our" David Seymour.
The Wikipedia entry refers to his years in Canada in the early 2000s in the second para of the full entry; and then again in the "Early Life" section, ie:
"Seymour worked in Canada as a policy analyst for five years for the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada and the Manning Centre (6)"
Wikipedia provides quick links to both these organisations, and the article in footnote (6) –
Seems naive. The longer it goes on the more difficult it is to shut down.
If it's true Luxon is sniffing the wind on public opinion and he made the call to now be unequivocal, that decision must have been aided by the mahi done at Waitangi.
Quite why he'd hand over operations to David Seymour is baffling. Even more difficult now for Luxton to control the narrative.
Still, making Rimmer associate justice minister only to then strip him of it would be profound. He might have to do that.
"That’s the ugly truth. ACT are happy to have this debate even if it goes nowhere. Although I’m sure they still believe that the money, which is no doubt behind this, will speak loudly when the time comes.
It’s hard not to draw the conclusion from this that Seymour has played Luxon, and that he has won."
Police minister Mitchell and Commissioner Coster seem to have a matey relationship – sufficiently so to be passing text messages about operational matters and warnings of… who might be waiting somewhere to get an impromptu interview with the minister.
Did Coster have such a relationship with the previous government minsters? I doubt it. It smacks of a form of political nepotism and a potential lack of impartiality when dealing with certain sections of society.
Bearing in mind Mark Mitchell is known to be a bully boy, this situation does not auger well for fair and impartial policing practices.
Nash overstepped the bounds as Police Minister by contacting Coster, and subsequently lost his job after two more similar issues (not to do with Coster).
Imo the Police Commissioner should not be texting the Police Minister at all. The message from Coster telling Mitchel about talking to a journalist should have been a formal email not a causal text. We have a degree of separation between police and government for good reasons, and part of that is how the appearance of separation.
"We have a degree of separation between police and government for good reasons,…"
Precisely.
Not wishing to appear to be defending Coster, but Mitchell is not past placing the relationship on a more 'intimate' level to ensure he has control of everything that is occurring regardless of whether it falls under his jurisdiction or not.
If there is evidence of Mitchell doing the same (i.e. directing the police on operational matters – whether via text or any other method of communication) – he should suffer the same consequences.
If the communication is limited to 'heads up alerts' – then it can certainly be covered under the 'no surprises' rule that applies to all Ministries and their MPs.
Well if nothing else it certainly reveals “Andy” is a bit of a crawler. It should not be assumed any top cop is a liberal–NZ Police culture is still by and large macho, violent, misogynist, racist and holds long lasting grudges. Modern cops sometimes put some trendy spin on their activities but I predict policing will be more heavy duty and targeting the bottom 50% under this Govt.
A peaceful Palestine solidarity action at Lyttleton was subjected to police violence and elderly people pepper sprayed even after they had moved off a roadway onto the footpath, veteran activist 70 year old John Minto coming in for particular attention and a nasty bashing by gum chewing arrogant coppers.
The sworn police unspoken but primary task is to maintain capitalist property relations. It is why the plods turn up to a union picket in 10 minutes after an employer phone call, and may…get around to investigating your car break in.
Coster can not be trusted, was always suspicious why the Groundswell occupation of Parliament was not evicted on day one. Coster’s job is safe if he implements Mitchell’s bully boy agenda.
Coster can not be trusted, was always suspicious why the climate action occupation of Parliament was not evicted on day one. Coster’s job is safe if he implements Mitchell’s bully boy agenda.
How does that read?
or this one,
Coster can not be trusted, was always suspicious why the tangata whenua occupation of Parliament was not evicted on day one. Coster’s job is safe if he implements Mitchell’s bully boy agenda.
Protest is a legitimate part of democracy. We shouldn't be asking for permission. The freedom protests fucked that up, I don't know if Coster made that worse or less worse.
to clarify that a bit, the UK and Australia have both brought in legislation that undermines right to protest and thus democracy. In that sense Coster did right, but the fallout may mean we end up with such reactionary legislation. It would be good if the left didn't buy into that.
In a related tangent, it is my understanding, after talking to a senior police official, that Coster was called into a meeting with 3 senior politicians. This was the early days of the Wellies parliament occupation.
Police orders at around 6pm was that the steps of the Beehive were the line no-one was to cross. At around 10pm (after said meeting) the orders were changed and that was when the first, clumsy attempt to clear the grounds was made.
Political interference, like being influenced by lobbyists, isn't just a National thing.
quite agree that political interference isn't just a Nat thing. Reference also Nash, which makes me think it's an authoritarian thing instead (political compass).
It's on my list to go back and look at the protest and what happened and write about it. Might talk to you when I get going on that, if that's ok, pick your brains.
Interesting about the Palestine action at Lyttleton.
There was a recent Sunday gathering of around 200 protesters who marched to the Devonport Naval Base. I happened to drive past the local reserve where they were assembling. There were police officers everywhere – including van loads of them tucked around corners. Not knowing what was going on, I slowed down to have a good look at the protesters' banners. Next minute a posse of police officers appeared close by watching me intently as if they suspected I was about to commit a violent act. We're talking about an elderly woman here. I sped off in astonishment.
Don't know about ports in general – but a naval base is another matter. Unsurprising that there was elevated security with a protest specifically directed towards them.
"…police officers appeared close by watching me intently as if they suspected I was about to commit a violent act. "
What did you expect them to do ignore you completely?
If a van slows down close to a group of protesters especially when the issue at hand is so highly emotional and violent then of course the police (if they are doing their job) are going to scrutinize it closely.
Sorry not sure why I said van must have been stuck in my head from the police vans you mentioned.
In regards to 1) and 2) I meant the Israel / Palestine issue as a whole, not the particular event involved here. Police have been told to be extra vigilant in regard to any activities associated with current events in the Middle East and for good reason,
3) Yes but were they slowing down to have a good look as you were?
6) The police didn't know that.
8) You may have had an amusing moment but for the police, never amusing and always incredibly stressful.
But at the end of the day, they could have just been glaring at you for rubber necking.
The police were under no stress whatsoever at that point. All was peaceful and there was no shouting. If it wasn't for the flags etc. one would have thought it was a social function around the band-stand – a popular place for festivities.
I'm sure some of the cars did slow down for the same reason and would have got similar treatment.
A different story once they started marching and chanting of course, and when they came close to the Naval Base entrance, one would expect the police to be very much on the alert to any possible infringements. As far as I know there were none.
Accept it was nothing more than a slightly amusing interlude in response to TM’s comment re- another protest march. You were not there. I was.
Are you sure about that? The maximum term a Commissioner can be appointed for is five years but, unless they have changed the laws in the last few years there is nothing to stop them being appointed for a second term.
Coster's predecessor, Mike Bush was first appointed to a term that ran for 3 years from April 2014 until 2017. He was then reappointed for a second term of three years that finished in April 2020. He served for 6 years.
As far as I know there is no reason to prevent Coster being offered another, or even several more, term(s).
If one looks at the history on would say, the intent of a 5 year term is to allow a longer term than 3 years. Only some ever got a second term of 3 years, when it was 3 years. 5 years is one of the longer ones on record.
"Mitchell has reset the relationship with Coster but there are still a Cabinet minister or two who refer to him as "Cuddles Coster" – an insinuation he's soft on crime………."
Ha! All that will happen is an increased influx into the 'desirable' areas with 'good' schools – pushing house prices even higher. 'Double Grammar zone' will be even more unaffordable.
"Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed."– Einstein
'Double Grammar zone' will be even more unaffordable.
Not unaffordable to all Kiwis, clearly, given your projected "increased influx".
Despite divisive distractions, even the most one-eyed will be hard-pressed to ignore rhe corrosive effects of wealth inequality on societal resilience over the next few years, although adopting a 'head in the sand' strategy might just do it.
Sad really, because when the overshoot chickens come home to roost, money will mean bugger all – still, make hay while the sun shines.
“Is it ethical to exploit our psychology to benefit an economic system destroying the planet?” asks Barnard. “Creativity and innovation are driving overconsumption. The system is driving us to suicide. It’s conquest, entitlement, misogyny, arrogance and it comes in a fetid package driving us to the abyss.”
The team is adamant that solutions that do not tackle the underlying drivers of our growth-based economies will only exacerbate the overshoot crisis.
“Everything we know and love is at stake,” says Barnard. “A habitable planet and a peaceful civilisation both have value, and we need to be conscious about using tools in ethical and justice-based ways. This is not just about humanity. This is about every other species on this planet. This is about the future generations.”
“I do get frustrated that people sit in paralysis thinking, what do I do? Or what must we do? There are moral hazards everywhere. We have to choose how to intervene to keep us working on a path forward as humanity, because everything right now is set up to strip us of our humanity.”
‘The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of’.
– Edward Bernays, Propaganda, 1928
Imho, Einsrtein's quote is relevant to the proposal to "ban private schools and health insurance", and also relevant to reactions to that proposal.
"Double Grammar zone" doesn't interest me – patterns of behaviour do
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The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A former Tuvalu prime minister says while the New Zealand government’s oil and gas plans show it is concerned about its economy, he is more concerned about the livelihoods and survival of the Tuvalu people. Enele Sopoaga — who still serves as an MP ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Many people who follow federal budgets know about the magnificent “budget tree” in a parliamentary courtyard, which turns a glorious red in time for the May event. This week Treasurer Jim Chalmers posed by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Bennett, Professor of Music, Australian National University Richard P J Lambert/flickr, CC BY The future belongs to the analogue loyalists. Fuck digital. As a tsunami of CDs, DAT tapes and samplers swept the recording industry in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University This week American rapper Macklemore released a new track, Hind’s Hall, which has gained a lot of attention because of its explicitly political nature. The track is unapologetically pro-Palestine. It declares the artist’s ...
Explainer - The government from 2025 is mandating how state schools teach children to read. But what is structured literacy and how does it compare to other teaching methods? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danica Jenkins, Lecturer in European Studies, University of Sydney On a freezing spring night in March, Georgia’s national soccer team beat Greece in a nail-biter penalty shootout to qualify for the Euro 2024 championships. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam G. Arian, Lecturer (Accounting & Finance), Australian Catholic University Loic Manegarium/Pexels Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney The “latte line” is the infamous, invisible boundary that divides Sydney between the more affluent north-east and the south-west. Historically, people north of the line enjoy better access to jobs and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock In media articles about unprecedented flooding, you’ll often come across the statement that for every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. This ...
RNZ Pacific Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been sentenced to one year in prison, Fiji media are reporting. Bainimarama, alongside suspended Fiji Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho appeared in the High Court in Suva today for their sentencing hearing for a case involving their roles in blocking a police ...
Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo says, “Addressing violence and abuse remains New Zealand’s most significant human rights issue affecting women. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Symons, Macquarie School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University Michael Schiffer / Unsplash Life has transformed our world over billions of years, turning a dead rock into the lush, fertile planet we know today. But human activity is currently transforming Earth ...
One woman’s quest to watch Challengers without ruining her body clock. Every Saturday morning, I wake up with a screaming demon inside my head urging me to “Do. Something. This. Weekend.” I run through the possibilities in my head in a defensive mental crouch, reminiscent of that one time I ...
The PSA is alarmed that ACC is proposing to shed 309 jobs including 29 dedicated injury prevention jobs at a time when the number and cost of injuries is rising. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Baker, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock In recent years, there’s been increasinghype about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published this week found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked ...
Fears that New Zealand is relying too heavily on low-cost forests to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions have been reignited by a report from the OECD. ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the total dollar savings target from public sector cuts has been met, but the reductions have not been felt evenly across public agencies. Government departments were told to make savings set at 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent where headcount had grown by more than ...
She doesn’t have a single kind word for me and it’s getting under my skin.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I have two amazing friends that I absolutely adore. Grace (all names have been changed) and I lived together across 2023 and Olivia moved in with us this ...
Can Western science and Māori science work together to support our well-being? The Te Ohu Mō Papatūānuku (TOMP) Trials Project was a landmark case for healing the land and people with the guidance of Māori science and leadership. This is what happened when Papatūānuku (Earth) was contaminated by toxic discharge, ...
The District Plan is a blueprint for a bigger, better Wellington, through tens of thousands of new apartments and townhouses and a new approach to urban growth. Joel MacManus lays out the vision. The process of putting together Wellington’s new District Plan has been long and excruciating. As a city, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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So already the cuts have begun to bite. 100 classrooms on hold, with rising immigration actively worsening things.
Reports by the Education Minister that she is consulting is interesting. Who with ?you may ask, as Principals say they do not know what the new priorities are, and they have had no formal or face to face contact. Just a list of "On hold" since the election.
Everyone knows from media statements 3 hours for 3 rs,
7.5 cuts to budgets, which plus inflation is really huge. (This is capital expenditure which is not included!!) So children miss out again.
So we are in a freeze.????
It makes sense when you remember the National Party was formed to stop the Labour Party doing anything. They consider 'on hold' to be fulfilling that promise.
It's just the start. And it's serious.
Mayor Wayne Brown on RNZ this morning recognised how many projects will just be stopped. Even something as big as Eastern Busway, or the new CRL trains. That was one small tax adjustment.
Brown is forecasting the point for all other mayors: local government should be able to set the priorities for the locals who vote for them. Not Wellington.
March has more pre-announcements going through every other Department: Health, Education, Welfare, Transport, Kainga Ora, Conservation, SSC, DPMC, Crown Law, DIA, MBIE, MfE, MoT, Maori Affairs, and all the minor quangoes like HRC. Queue groaning.
Which state entities can defend their forecasts? I'm betting the ones that come out well: Corrections, Police, NZDF, SIS, Treasury.
March leads to May Budget.
With those cuts Willis gets to deliver tax cuts. As she and Luxon promised.
Tory economic shitfuckary at it's finest.
It's TINA time again and I don't mean Tina from Turners.
Of course there are alternatives, but not in the small minds of Tory s*bs who can't see beyond their wallet.
As always, its the inability of Tory economics to get off it's knees from corporate blowing and jerking which is the real problem.
Tova O'Brien makes the point I made yesterday 🙂 that Seymour is undermining Luxon by calling him nervous and a liar. I can't remember this happening before.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350173342/pm-may-want-get-his-elbows-out-over-treaty-principles-bill
And, is anyone able to tell us what is this paywalled article?
Luxon really needs to lance the boil that is David Seymour. Very high risk letting the situation continue.
Try this link
https://archive.is/37w4o
Thanks, Hooten is rightly terrified of Seymour having the time and space to spend the huge amounts of shadowy far right wing funding on manipulating public opinion.
Basically its Hooton being his usual Machiavellian self by attacking Seymour's Treaty Bill while making what seem reasonable suggestions. However on closer scrutiny they are anything but. This gem of an article is about Paul Goldsmith apologising and settling outstanding Ngati Hine grievances by putting a wedge between them and Ngapuhi. Just the sort of Maori vs Maori turmoil he would enjoy setting up.
My view is if National really want to shut Seymour up they need to back Goldsmith in Epson. As we all know Seymour is only where he is due to the National Party's gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering yes but in the words of a famous (ior infamous )ex president, Epsom is always a rgged election .
Gerrymandering is manipulating electorate boundaries to favour a particular political party.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering
I don't think that there is any evidence of this going on here, and no evidence of the Representation Commission (the organization which sets the electorate boundaries) being influenced by any political party.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_electorates#Distribution
If you do have evidence of this occurring, then please share it.
If you mean that Seymour is using MMP to increase ACT representation in parliament – by gaining a higher individual vote in Epsom than the ACT party vote – and that this is reprehensible; then you would have to condemn virtually every TPM MP for doing the same thing – I think in every Maori electorate the party vote was higher for Labour than it was for TPM.
No, the equivalent would be Labour and TPM entering an agreement where Labour deliberately throws Maori seats by encouraging voters to vote for TPM candidate.
Perhaps you have evidence of this happening in the last election?
Regardless of whether you agree with the practice or not – it is not gerrymandering.
Sure, but your comparison was false. Likely deliberately in an effort to water down the unscrupulous National/ACT arrangement in Epsom.
Is it worse for political parties to openly signal to their (potential) voters? Or for there to just be a nudge and a wink?
Tactical voting is part and parcel of MMP.
Difference being there's collusion between National and ACT in Epsom, but none in the Maori electorates between Labour and TPM which is what you implied with the comparison.
Like I said, a good way to dilute the mischievousness in Epsom is to claim both sides do it, even if that is untrue.
How about the 'collusion' in Invercargill between the Greens and Labour?
In 2020 the GP candidate openly endorsed the Labour one, and in 2023 – they pulled the GP candidate completely to try and gain the seat for the Left
https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/132829589/no-green-candidate-for-invercargill
I think you came unstuck after the point you made about the definition of gerrymandering. Should have stopped there perhaps?
Because now you seem desperate to justify the now 16 year arrangement National and ACT have had in Epsom.
To point , but it's only national that have poisoned mmp by keeping act alive ,
And I'm quite sure that the same could be said by the Right – over (for example) Jim Anderton.
ATM – and for the last couple of elections – ACT have not needed the 'Epsom accommodation' – since their party vote is perfectly sufficient to get them over the 5% threshold.
Bugger me Belladonna.
You get Te Pāti Māori are the smartest voters in the country, we be doing polling, we understand overhang. You and others talked about it enough. Oh and Maori know what a deal means, honour, and playing the hand that has been dealt. Te Pāti Māori don't need to beg like some serf.
We don't need dirty deals, we have an open honest one. Old too, 11 years till hundred years in parlimentary terms with the election of Eruera and Tokouru.
Yep very clever voting in the Māori electorates and good on them.
To many Pākehā and Māori voted whinge bag Winny. Rather than a party who would work with the left. Gotta love hindsight though. I'm hearing some seriously extreme buyers remorse on this one, in my own family, even.
Oh dear. I think some will be more circumspect in the future.
I was referring to the fact that TPM won each of the Māori Seats and that Labour got the highest Party vote in each electorate, thereby helping the Labour Māori Caucus.
The dreams of Matiu Waitai Rata fulfilled?
How did it help the Labour Maori caucus? Most have resigned (Davis, etc.) or signalled retirement (Jackson).
Have a think.
Not interested in guessing games. If you have an answer, give it.
It's not all that difficult:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/494829/labour-releases-party-list-for-2023-election
So tactical voting by Left voters for TPM and Green electorate candidates is fine; but tactical voting by the Right for ACT candidates is morally wrong?
Tactical voting is the way MMP works. You can't, honestly, decry it on the right, but celebrate it on the left.
Sooooo not interested in your offer!
Straw man – argument on your part.
No deal was made by Te Pāti Māori for seats. Unlike act and the prime member of the collective of corporate cock suckers. (CCCS)
The moral question you raise is interesting – should parties gift other parties seats like the prime CCCS has done to act (a minor member of CCCS)?
Nothing wrong with smart voting, just seat fixing is the moral questionable. Indeed it is a cheapening of democracy, but the right have no problem with that concept, and throw out all sorts of useful idiots to spread it's BS around it.
Previously yes, but he's actually a very active and effective elecorate mp so I doubt a Nat candidate would get near him even with say Luxon's endorsement.
Also Brooke Van Velden took the Tamaki electorate, in the teeth of fierce National opposition – no cup of tea there. ACT (little though you may like them) are currently pulling a substantial percentage of the vote in NZ.
Has Seymour ever expressed a liking for playing chess?
He has a series of moves available to him that threaten Luxon with, or hold him in check.
He can crash Luxon's Government at any point and can block National from getting back in should they seek to regain their position.
While his One Big Mission would go on hold, much of the groundwork has already been done; other branches of the Movement can continue with manipulating the public mind over the role of Māori and the hold they have on resources.
He's backing himself and playing hardball (as well as chess) imo.
At one point I had assumed Seymour would not allow himself too be seen as a trouble maker in government, rather wanting to be a serious, dependable player.
But now I don't think he cares, his ideological mission to dilute and disperse Te ao Māori too important to him and his backers, to the point of obsession.
Hooton makes some good points in his article today (paywalled) here:
"Seymour’s bill and “information” campaign will cause ill-informed division and unnecessary angst, before being voted down 112-11 by Parliament. It will then be for Goldsmith, in both his major portfolios, to bring common sense and integrity to heal those wounds. As Justice Minister, he could pick up Prebble’s idea and strengthen everyone’s equal rights of citizenship without undermining anyone’s differing exclusive rights, including to property and other treasures. As Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, it turns to Goldsmith to succeed …. in settling the historic claims of the northern tribes of Ngāpuhi. Historic settlements don’t extinguish the Crown’s contemporary Treaty obligations but they help iwi put their fury behind them and focus on the economic and social development of their people, in partnership with or independently of the state. Nothing would do more to restore a harmonious relationship between the Crown and northern iwi, while boosting Northland’s struggling economy."
It is interesting that Hooton has little time for Seymour.
We're to pin our hopes on Goldsmith?
Aue!
So, unreasonable ACT is paving the way for ‘reasonable’ National? Yeah, right.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door-in-the-face_technique
Remember that Goldsmith has been gifting Epsom to ACT/Seymour in a number of elections.
Act’s Mr Seymour tries to distance himself from Atlas Network. Check out page 7 of the 2008 Atlas Review, Mr Seymour is pictured with some then Atlas leading lights and prospects during his Canadian stint.
https://admin.atlasnetwork.org/assets/documents/financials/22209874-Atlas-Year-in-Review-2008_1.pdf
This should be spread far and wide. The association is provable not conspiracy. Act are attacking Te Tiriti not just for “Māori bashing” purposes, but to assist international capital to exploit NZ resources.
Even Gosman, [deleted] saw the problems of being associated with Atlas. Tried very hard to claim there is no such connection.
[I’ve never heard that about Gosman before and I have no way of checking. Please don’t try and break pseudonyms. I protect them on principle, that includes RW trolls, and you. – weka]
From the document I linked to @ #3…
“Graduates of the 2008 Atlas MBA for Think Tanks
Kwadwo Afari (Citizens Network for Democracy and Economic Development, Ghana)
Khalil Ahmad (Alternate Solutions Institute, Pakistan) Judith Auma (Inter Region Economic Network, Uganda) Matt Bufton (Institute for Liberal Studies, Canada) Brad Bergh (Caesar Rodney Institute, U.S.A.) Rosamaria Bitetti (Istituto Bruno Leoni, Italy)
Amit Chandra (Centre for Civil Society, India)
Alphonse Crespo (Medicine & Liberty, Switzerland)
D. Dhanuraj (Centre for Public Policy Research, India)
Rand Getlin (Prometheus Institute, U.S.A.)
Matt Harrison (Prometheus Institute, U.S.A.)
Tabriz Jabbarov (Free Minds Association, Azerbaijan)
Biljana Janeva (OHRID Institute, Macedonia)
Thomas David Maqway (Center for Prosperity and Economic
Liberty, Tanzania)
Arpita Nepal Samriddhi (The Prosperity Foundation, Nepal) Mpumelelo (Lelo) Nxumalo (Committee for the Economic
Development of Zimbabwe)
Javier Paz (Fundación Nueva Democracia, Bolivia)
Omar Shaban Ismail (PalThink for Strategic Studies, Palestine) Jim Shaffer (Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia, U.S.A.) Fernando Staffieri (Fundación Libertad, Argentina)
David Seymour (Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada) Corin Taylor (TaxPayers Alliance, U.K.)
Sugey Tola (Ecuadorian Institute of Political Economy, Ecuador) Marcin Wegierski (Project Lodz Foundation, Poland) Randolph Williams (Centre for Policy Initiatives, Guyana) Batbold Zagdragchaa (New Policy Institute, Mongolia)”
Be careful here. There maybe more than one David Seymour in this world with ties to Atlas Think Tanks.
I know that there are at least 3 academics with the same name as myself who write on very similar subjects. I constantly receive notifications from around the world thinking that I was the person who wrote or commented on a particular paper.
You are invited to open the link at #3 there are several photos of Mr David Seymour, start at page 7.
Ahhh! thanks for that.
It certainly seems to be the same – ie "our"! -David Seymour as the reference in the Atlas Year in Review 2008 linked to in Tiger Mountain's comment at 3 to "David Seymour (Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada)" aligns with the Wikipedia entry for "our" David Seymour.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Seymour
The Wikipedia entry refers to his years in Canada in the early 2000s in the second para of the full entry; and then again in the "Early Life" section, ie:
"Seymour worked in Canada as a policy analyst for five years for the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, Canada and the Manning Centre (6)"
Wikipedia provides quick links to both these organisations, and the article in footnote (6) –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier_Centre_for_Public_Policy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Strong_and_Free_Network
https://web.archive.org/web/20210624211342/https://nzbpt.nz/david-seymour-mp
Note for Mods – first comment again for years; not sure if I've used the same email as before …
Welcome back.
I’ve approved this new email of yours, so please stick to this one from now on, thanks.
mod note.
Stop worrying about ACT. They are already out-manoeuvered.
Not even the Greens had their core legislation strangled at birth.
Seems naive. The longer it goes on the more difficult it is to shut down.
If it's true Luxon is sniffing the wind on public opinion and he made the call to now be unequivocal, that decision must have been aided by the mahi done at Waitangi.
Quite why he'd hand over operations to David Seymour is baffling. Even more difficult now for Luxton to control the narrative.
Still, making Rimmer associate justice minister only to then strip him of it would be profound. He might have to do that.
Act where point fuck all of a % a few years back, don't take them lightly, especially with a weak as f pm who's only goal is to be pm.
Just 6 years ago in 2017 ACT got 0.5% of the party vote.
There many reasons for the resurgence to 8% in 2023 but the most important was the collapse of the National Party in 2020.
Nick Rockel reckons:
"That’s the ugly truth. ACT are happy to have this debate even if it goes nowhere. Although I’m sure they still believe that the money, which is no doubt behind this, will speak loudly when the time comes.
It’s hard not to draw the conclusion from this that Seymour has played Luxon, and that he has won."
https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/little-by-little
"
This Herald article is somewhat concerning:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-commissioner-andrew-coster-and-police-minister-mark-mitchell-texts-reveal-insight-into-relationship/ZCCH2R5YKNEUNCCBWNHNEOMSHQ/
Police minister Mitchell and Commissioner Coster seem to have a matey relationship – sufficiently so to be passing text messages about operational matters and warnings of… who might be waiting somewhere to get an impromptu interview with the minister.
Did Coster have such a relationship with the previous government minsters? I doubt it. It smacks of a form of political nepotism and a potential lack of impartiality when dealing with certain sections of society.
Bearing in mind Mark Mitchell is known to be a bully boy, this situation does not auger well for fair and impartial policing practices.
Nash overstepped the bounds as Police Minister by contacting Coster, and subsequently lost his job after two more similar issues (not to do with Coster).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Nash#2023_ministerial_indiscretions_and_resignation
Imo the Police Commissioner should not be texting the Police Minister at all. The message from Coster telling Mitchel about talking to a journalist should have been a formal email not a causal text. We have a degree of separation between police and government for good reasons, and part of that is how the appearance of separation.
"We have a degree of separation between police and government for good reasons,…"
Precisely.
Not wishing to appear to be defending Coster, but Mitchell is not past placing the relationship on a more 'intimate' level to ensure he has control of everything that is occurring regardless of whether it falls under his jurisdiction or not.
Which is (apparently) what Nash did – justifying it by his long-standing 'buddy' relationship with Coster.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/05/texts-between-former-police-minister-stuart-nash-and-police-commissioner-andrew-coster-released.html
If there is evidence of Mitchell doing the same (i.e. directing the police on operational matters – whether via text or any other method of communication) – he should suffer the same consequences.
If the communication is limited to 'heads up alerts' – then it can certainly be covered under the 'no surprises' rule that applies to all Ministries and their MPs.
Well if nothing else it certainly reveals “Andy” is a bit of a crawler. It should not be assumed any top cop is a liberal–NZ Police culture is still by and large macho, violent, misogynist, racist and holds long lasting grudges. Modern cops sometimes put some trendy spin on their activities but I predict policing will be more heavy duty and targeting the bottom 50% under this Govt.
A peaceful Palestine solidarity action at Lyttleton was subjected to police violence and elderly people pepper sprayed even after they had moved off a roadway onto the footpath, veteran activist 70 year old John Minto coming in for particular attention and a nasty bashing by gum chewing arrogant coppers.
The sworn police unspoken but primary task is to maintain capitalist property relations. It is why the plods turn up to a union picket in 10 minutes after an employer phone call, and may…get around to investigating your car break in.
Coster can not be trusted, was always suspicious why the Groundswell occupation of Parliament was not evicted on day one. Coster’s job is safe if he implements Mitchell’s bully boy agenda.
How does that read?
or this one,
Is that your version of a thought experiment weka?
It may surprise you to know that I think Parliament grounds and surrounds should be free of long term occupations by any group.
Protest is a legitimate part of democracy. We shouldn't be asking for permission. The freedom protests fucked that up, I don't know if Coster made that worse or less worse.
to clarify that a bit, the UK and Australia have both brought in legislation that undermines right to protest and thus democracy. In that sense Coster did right, but the fallout may mean we end up with such reactionary legislation. It would be good if the left didn't buy into that.
In a related tangent, it is my understanding, after talking to a senior police official, that Coster was called into a meeting with 3 senior politicians. This was the early days of the Wellies parliament occupation.
Police orders at around 6pm was that the steps of the Beehive were the line no-one was to cross. At around 10pm (after said meeting) the orders were changed and that was when the first, clumsy attempt to clear the grounds was made.
Political interference, like being influenced by lobbyists, isn't just a National thing.
quite agree that political interference isn't just a Nat thing. Reference also Nash, which makes me think it's an authoritarian thing instead (political compass).
It's on my list to go back and look at the protest and what happened and write about it. Might talk to you when I get going on that, if that's ok, pick your brains.
Yep, sure.
You can use my sign in email if that works for you.
thanks, that's great.
Interesting about the Palestine action at Lyttleton.
There was a recent Sunday gathering of around 200 protesters who marched to the Devonport Naval Base. I happened to drive past the local reserve where they were assembling. There were police officers everywhere – including van loads of them tucked around corners. Not knowing what was going on, I slowed down to have a good look at the protesters' banners. Next minute a posse of police officers appeared close by watching me intently as if they suspected I was about to commit a violent act. We're talking about an elderly woman here. I sped off in astonishment.
It seems like “orders from the top” re policing the Palestinian solidarity actions.
I guess ports are regarded as strategic assets not to be interfered with by the likes of ordinary people trying to stop the Israeli butchers.
Don't know about ports in general – but a naval base is another matter. Unsurprising that there was elevated security with a protest specifically directed towards them.
"…police officers appeared close by watching me intently as if they suspected I was about to commit a violent act. "
What did you expect them to do ignore you completely?
If a van slows down close to a group of protesters especially when the issue at hand is so highly emotional and violent then of course the police (if they are doing their job) are going to scrutinize it closely.
Oh dear:
1) The march hadn't started so there was no "highly emotional" activity.
2) There was no violence before, during or after the event according to media reports.
3) There were plenty of passing motorists although not as I passed the scene.
4) There was no van in sight – apart from police vans around the corner.
5) It was a small Toyota Yaris.
6) The driver was a harmless, short-sighted elderly lady [with special medium vision glasses] peering at the scene and wondering what it was about.
7) Methinks the cops in question were going about their business with just a tad too much enthusiasm.
8) Finally, I saw it as an amusing moment, but it would seem your soh needs a seriously good polish old chap.
Edit: And the venue was one 1 km away from the Naval Base.
Sorry not sure why I said van must have been stuck in my head from the police vans you mentioned.
In regards to 1) and 2) I meant the Israel / Palestine issue as a whole, not the particular event involved here. Police have been told to be extra vigilant in regard to any activities associated with current events in the Middle East and for good reason,
3) Yes but were they slowing down to have a good look as you were?
6) The police didn't know that.
8) You may have had an amusing moment but for the police, never amusing and always incredibly stressful.
But at the end of the day, they could have just been glaring at you for rubber necking.
The police were under no stress whatsoever at that point. All was peaceful and there was no shouting. If it wasn't for the flags etc. one would have thought it was a social function around the band-stand – a popular place for festivities.
I'm sure some of the cars did slow down for the same reason and would have got similar treatment.
A different story once they started marching and chanting of course, and when they came close to the Naval Base entrance, one would expect the police to be very much on the alert to any possible infringements. As far as I know there were none.
Accept it was nothing more than a slightly amusing interlude in response to TM’s comment re- another protest march. You were not there. I was.
You're not going to get in control of gang crime with a Beta.
Coster's term finishes in April 2025. That’s his maximum.
To survive even to April Coster has to get gun crime and gang crime trending down fast.
Unfortunately Coster is on record saying gun crime will stay high for years.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/494168/escalated-gun-crime-expected-to-remain-a-problem-for-years-police
Put a fork in him – he's done.
"That’s his maximum."
Are you sure about that? The maximum term a Commissioner can be appointed for is five years but, unless they have changed the laws in the last few years there is nothing to stop them being appointed for a second term.
Coster's predecessor, Mike Bush was first appointed to a term that ran for 3 years from April 2014 until 2017. He was then reappointed for a second term of three years that finished in April 2020. He served for 6 years.
As far as I know there is no reason to prevent Coster being offered another, or even several more, term(s).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bush
Yes, he won't survive more than a term.
Don't worry about the theory.
On that I agree with you. I thought you were talking about whether it could be done, not whether it would be done.
If one looks at the history on would say, the intent of a 5 year term is to allow a longer term than 3 years. Only some ever got a second term of 3 years, when it was 3 years. 5 years is one of the longer ones on record.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissioner_of_Police_(New_Zealand)
"Mitchell has reset the relationship with Coster but there are still a Cabinet minister or two who refer to him as "Cuddles Coster" – an insinuation he's soft on crime………."
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/12/police-minister-mark-mitchell-thinks-commissioner-andrew-coster-has-potential-to-be-good-leader.html
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/508763/minister-of-education-erica-stanford-promises-plan-to-build-more-cost-effective-classrooms
Canceled class rooms now and more bullshit from the nats,
Roofs falling on kids and rain getting in, only in poor people areas I expect.
Incredible. Two months in and we are already at the stage of, 'your children's classrooms are too luxurious'.
Not their children's though I bet,
Want to change aotearoa for good?
Ban private schools and health insurance!
Ha! All that will happen is an increased influx into the 'desirable' areas with 'good' schools – pushing house prices even higher. 'Double Grammar zone' will be even more unaffordable.
And a substantial increase in health tourism.
"Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed." – Einstein
Not unaffordable to all Kiwis, clearly, given your projected "increased influx".
Despite divisive distractions, even the most one-eyed will be hard-pressed to ignore rhe corrosive effects of wealth inequality on societal resilience over the next few years, although adopting a 'head in the sand' strategy might just do it.
Sad really, because when the overshoot chickens come home to roost, money will mean bugger all – still, make hay while the sun shines.
All of which has zip to do with the proposal to make private schools and private healthcare illegal.
Imho, Einsrtein's quote is relevant to the proposal to "ban private schools and health insurance", and also relevant to reactions to that proposal.
"Double Grammar zone" doesn't interest me – patterns of behaviour do
It's Open Mike – if you're not interested, just scroll on by.
You gotta love the naivety of some people.
After a years long investigation, a pimp gets 10 months home d. for exploiting 15 Brazillian women migrants.
The "national manager of immigration investigations, ” hoped the sentence would be a deterrent.
This chap, Michael Sloan, can carry on his parasite ways while still wearing his ankle bracelet.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350174437/kiwi-man-sentenced-role-illegal-international-sex-worker-operation
Edit: I thought, originally, home d. was for crimes that didn’t occur in the home.